


Happily Ever Austen

by KnickersandVodka



Category: Austenland, Jane Austen - Fandom
Genre: Austenland AU, Book/Movie Mash Up, F/M, I know you all want to visualise Mr. Nobley naked, Sexy Times
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-03-28
Packaged: 2018-01-17 07:34:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1379269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnickersandVodka/pseuds/KnickersandVodka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After getting off the plane, regency clad History professor, Henry Nobley and our heroine, Jane Hayes have settled into a Mr-Darcy-Austen-free life in Manhattan. </p><p>Miss Charming did end up buying Austenland, and after months of comfortable trousers (and only the sexy kind of corsets), they find themselves sucked back into the mad world of Austen and pink, frilled bosoms created by our dear Miss Charming. </p><p>Book/Movie Mash Up</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happily Ever Austen

“These boxes are much heavier than I thought. What do you have in here? Shakespeare’s entire collection of handwritten plays and sonnets.” Sweat collected on Jane’s brow as she climbed marble, never ending steps to her new apartment, light brown hair sticking to her back despite the chilly February air. She stopped on the landing and placed sore hands on tiny hips, dropping the box with less care than she should have.

“Hey, be careful. His head is in one of the boxes. I had it encased in carbonite.” An english lilt wrapped a deep masculine voice, slipping through a small but enthralling smile. Blue, crisp eyes and sandy blonde hair passed her on the steps, releasing his own boxes with much more grace. Pale fingers wrapped around her waist, recovering some of the air he had lost climbing up four deceivingly long flights of stairs. He bent his body forward, strong back muscles flexing through the grey marle t-shirt, and kissed her nose. 

“Are you ready, Jane Hayes?” His eyebrows wiggled in excitement, his slid his hands upward and under her shirt, running thumbs over her velvet skin, a sudden rush of heat spreading through her body and, probably, seeping into the icy stone flooring. 

“I am ready, Henry Nobley.” She smiled and jumped towards the thick red oak, an elegant knocker hanging below the thick metal markings, 4D. 

“After you.” He pushed the door open and revealed a modest, yet elegant Manhattan apartment. It was indeed an upgrade from Jane’s cheap former apartment with--unintentionally--frosted windows coated with the dirt from vents adjacent to her building that were--again, unfortunately--above a subway. A place where she would sit and talk to her Colin Firth cardboard cut out, telling herself she wouldn’t gain weight if she ate that Hazed and Confused special edition Ben and Jerry’s pint. 

When Jane and Henry got off their plane to New York, they went back to her apartment and ordered their first meal in as a couple, talking and kissing, the repeating in the same fashion. They slept in each others arms and didn’t wake up well into noon, mostly, much to their chagrin, because Jane’s phone was ringing incessantly with Molly’s neurotic calls. She then brought Molly over, asking her to bring a pair of Phillip’s trousers and a shirt for a certain someone and Molly, who is usually a speedy traveler, surpassed her own efficient transportation time. Her friend practically flung herself through the doorway and caught sight of the somewhat embarrassed Henry still in his Regency garb. Molly almost had a fit, but once she saw the pile of Jane Austen memorabilia in a trash bag, her initial feelings of weariness depleted--and of course with a little explanation. 

From there, Jane and Henry’s relationship just seemed to accelerate into a flurry of ardency. From the second they landed in New York in July, he moved in with her. Henry, though at first with some trouble, had successfully transferred to CUNY as a History professor from Oxford and started in January for the Spring semester. Jane continued her job as a graphic designer, though abandoned the ‘I heart Darcy’ stickers that had once decorated her cubicle. He left about twice to go back home, in order to ship some of his belongings and connecting dots with work and family. Then after about 7 months in her apartment, they managed to find a more central Manhattan flat and now were moving into a new, two bedroom that was suitable for a potential family-- something Henry constantly reminded her of. 

They stepped into the apartment, feet moving over dark hardwood floors, the late afternoon light casting a pink-orange glow on the ivory walls. The kitchen’s granite counter tops sparkled as the sun fell and disappeared behind brick buildings. Though they had been in here numerous times, it felt like a whole new, complete space. Henry pulled Jane in tight, crushing her body with his warm, strong form. She could feel his abdominal muscles much better under light the cotton shirt, unlike the thick regency garb that he was forced to wear when they first met--though, not saying the cravat and waistcoat didn’t make Jane want to rip his clothes off. Which they did. And he got to keep the costume. 

His strong, attentive lips met hers hungrily and his hands starved for her frame. Slipping his hands around the band of her jeans, he pulled her up and wrapped her lean legs around his waist, supporting her weight under her bum with his arms. She giggled as he brushed his lips across hers, tasting the salt from sweaty skin. He carried her back to the landing and they scooted the rest of the boxes inside, deciding--though less efficient--that it’d be a better use of energy just to lean over and slide them through into the room, but only far enough that they could shut the door. 

After hours of moving, the two collapsed on the purple couch, that they had actually hired someone to bring in, because Jane would have rather lived with Mrs. Wattlesbrook as her foot stool than carry furniture up the steep stairs. She had put her foot down when they found out they were moving into a four story apartment--without an elevator-- and hired some very unattractive, pot bellied men to carry their furniture in, reminding her of a young Mr. Wattlebrooks. 

“Well, I’d say let’s make love but I don’t know if I can move my legs. Here just hop on, darling.” He flashed her a wicked grin, his breathing laborious from the fifteen times up the stairs carrying in all their belongings. Jane playfully flicked his shoulder and kissed it, keeping her movements slight due to her own exhaustion.

They were still just as enamored with each other as day one, maybe even more so as they further explored their partner’s character. From the time the two of them got off the plane and headed home, they were so enraptured by the other that they rarely left her apartment. Onny reasons such as to attend work, or sometimes leaving for a meal or short outing but then straight back to the apartment, so he could run his hands down her naked hip or she could trace the contours of his stomach and kiss his jaw. And appreciate the way he clenched his jaw when his forehead rests against hers and they breathe in the others essence. Or the ethereal shock as the pads of his fingers traced circles on the nape of her neck. 

Let’s just say their brains were very receptive to the endorphins. Jane and Henry were very content. And often exhausted. 

“When do we have to be at Molly’s tomorrow?” Henry’s voice snapped her back to reality, his eyes ‘resting’, as he claims, and dark blonde curls lying on her own sweaty mop. He smelled of exertion and Jane was rethinking not ‘hopping on’ when first proposed. 

“About noon. She wants us to bring Mimosas. Did you pick up two bottles of champagne after work yesterday?” Jane reached up and played with his hair, resting her hand on top of his head. 

“Mrrm-hmmm,” his next words struggled, his accent muddling his words even further, “A bottle for her and her extreme infatuation with alcohol, a bottle for the rest of us, and a bottle of whiskey for the newborns.”

Jane laughed outwardly, Henry’s chest reverberated through her side as he gave the best grunt of a laugh he could muster in his sluggish state. 

“Come on.” Jane stood up, jolting Henry’s guard, forcing him to clumsily catch his full body weight as he slipped down the couch where she had just vacated. “Let’s get to the bed. It’s a few steps farther than the old place, but I think we can make it.”

His tall figure extended as he stood, reaching toned arms toward the high ceiling, shirt bunched in the front from sweat highlighting his surprisingly sculpted body that was very much unlike her former History professors at university. He let out another groan and a heavy breath. Then, finally deciding he could move, grabbed her extended delicate fingers engulfing them in his commanding, firm hands. 

The comforter pulled where he sat on the large bed, one of their many recent Costco purchases--much more fitting to two people rather than her old full mattress. Henry guided her towards him, maneuvering her onto his lap, flashing a smile that had been so rare when he was just Mr Nobley, though presently frequented his lips.

“You know how much I love you, right?” His voice just above a whisper. “And I hope you are happy.”

“Incandescently happy.” She whispered back with a small smile. 

 

The ring of a screeching doorbell was lost in the screams of children inside Molly’s flat as they could only reasonable be making that much noise, thought Jane, because they were reenacting Godzilla. Though the next second, it seemed someone had heard through all the monster terror and Phillip opened the door, daring to unleash the disaster onto the streets of Brooklyn. He smiled at them, his eyes every shade of red from tiredness as he clutched one of the twins--the one that was born with six fingers and all that remained were weird raison things-- on his hip. 

“Champagne. Thank God,” He ushered them inside, with a clap on Henry’s back, “How’s it going, man? Life good on the outside?”

“It’s… not as good as you remember. Terror on the streets. Crime. I dropped a sandwich the other day.” He smiled, trying to comfort his friend. Phillip laughed and thanked his friend for trying to make him feel better. Phillip and Henry had both become fast friends, probably because their significant others were both crazy; Jane, for obvious reasons and Molly, well, let’s just say the twins had taken her to a whole new level of sarcasm and cynicism. 

Their large brownstone was three stories and Jane had never seen it so clean since the twins and the other two children and there were only, Jane counted, two toy horses, five lego things that looked like space ships, and three, no four--one of which had met Jane’s ballet flat-- Monster High dolls. Molly was ushering the kids upstairs and the laughter of children slowly faded into the third story, where their grandmother was waiting for them with the Frozen movie. 

Molly walked back down the stairs, hands running through her frizzy tresses that still in no matter state they were in, framed her olive skin perfectly and still made her look beautiful. Jane hugged her friend and Molly sunk her head into her shoulder. 

“I know you want your own little monsters but not only have they ruined my sex life, I’ve forgotten what alcohol tastes like.” A beat passes between them, Jane chuckling, then Molly’s voice reverberates through her body, “I hope you brought an ass load of champagne.”

“We did.. just for you. I even brought you a jumbo mug from Seven Eleven to pour it in.” Jane wasn’t kidding. 

Molly and Jane sat on the couch while the men moved to the kitchen to make drinks, at the desperate and scary Molly’s command. Henry brought the two of them their drinks--Molly’s in the jumbo mug-- then gave Jane a kiss on the cheek, his lips wet with champagne, and moved back to join Phillip who was fervently working in the kitchen. 

“So please, just tell me,” Jane’s friend said, sipping an egregious amount through her straw, “how’s the sex? Does he still do that thing? You know…… Phillip and I haven’t gotten like any in about three months. He almost went down on me when I was doing the laundry, which was for the first time in about three weeks. He got so turned on by the smell of clean underwear.. but then Marianne started crying and everything just retracted.”

Flashes of the naughty things Mr. Nobley would do to her sent flares of red to her cheeks. After so long a dry spell and after all these months of dating, she even now was still getting used to talking about her sex life with her best friend. Jane, starting from the day she lost her virginity, just didn't have very much to say about sex-- mostly because the men she did it with were incompetent and awful. But Henry was different. He was… enthralling. And after a few glasses of wine on nights when it was just her ans her best friend, the conversation got a little x rated.

“Yes, he still does that thing,” and many other things. Molly groaned with envy and Jane elaborated only enough to appease her then quickly changed the subject to something more dull, something Mrs. Wattlesbrook would approve of when lounging in the parlor. Henry returned to sit next to the ladies, Phillip following shortly with the announcement of brunch being served on the back patio.. 

After a large brunch and too many mimosas-- the two bottles were long gone and they had opened, and nearly finished, a third-- they sat in Molly’s small, but beautiful backyard. Molly wasn’t the most calm human being, but you could see where she received her peace in the attentive and neatly organized garden. 

“What was it you wanted to do to the headboard, Jane? Something like diddy podgey or something.” Henry’s arm draped around her shoulders, sliding his fingers up and down a small stretch of skin. 

“Deco-podge. I want to get paper from the store then decorate it with mercury glass, also.” 

Molly cooed over the renovations they were making and demanded when they could come over. Henry’s phone buzzed on his hip, and excusing himself, he moved inside. Jane took the last swig of her drink and looked to her boyfriend, but could only see his back and his hand on his hip pushing his blazer back; a sign of frustration. He hung up the phone then stared at it momentarily in disbelief then moved back outside. 

“That was my aunt,” his voice a mixture of astonishment and annoyance. “She sold Austenland. She was sobbing the whole time. Apparently whomever bought it threatened to sue her over Mr. Wattlesbrook.”

“Well, I guess I’m not the only one he tried to jump,” Jane’s mind flashed back to Mr. Wattlesbrook’s assault and the first little spark of admiration that flared between Henry and her. 

“I just can’t believe it. She loves that place. She did say however, she was continuing to work there because the new owner would rather just prance around and I quote ‘molesting all the help in her pink frills with her bosom tucked under her chin’”. 

“Lizzy..” Miss Elizabeth Charming’s declaration to buy the place popped into her head and suddenly her phone started to buzz as well. 

It was Lizzy. Jane answered the phone, everything feeling a bit surreal. Just like Austenland. Molly continued to drink vigorously, shaking her head in disbelief. Phillip had moved back inside to check on the children, bored and frankly still a little weirded out by the whole “Austenland” concept.

“Hello,” The word moving like honey from her mouth. 

“Holy hell in a cow pie! Jane! I have the best news! Not only did I finally convince Colonel Andrews to dress in pink and wear matching hair pieces, I finally did it!”

“Did what?” Jane knew what was coming and looked over at Henry had taken also to shaking his head and blinking in confusion--you know, that sexy way he blinks. 

“I bought the place! I shut that old hag down and put her turbans down the toilet! I own Austenland!” she was practically yelling through the phone. “And I want to invite you and Nobley to a grand opening next week. I already bought your tickets. We’re going to do it all again, but you won’t be in the creepy tower this time.”

“Lizzy, I don’t know if we can go on such short notice--” 

“Nonsense. I am sending someone with your tickets and a car this coming Saturday. Be ready, Janey! Oh, I can’t wait to see you!”

And with that her old friend hung up. Molly and Henry were staring eagerly at Jane as she poured herself a glass of champagne and chugged it. 

“Miss Charming… Lizzy. She bought the place from your aunt, Henry and now she has invited us to go back for a grand opening next Saturday. She wants us to stay for a week.”

“What the hell? Jane, I thought you were done with this! I mean I was a little worried when you brought over fancy pants Mr. Darcy over her but you can’t go back there Jane.” Molly gestured to Henry who just rolled his eyes at her. Jane was quiet as she looked to Henry, trying to read his face, gaging his stance. 

Molly was then called inside to help with the children and the pair of them decided to thank their friends and say goodbye as the house looked like it was about to explode again with the yells of youth. 

When they got home, they still hadn’t discussed it much. Just the “how crazy, is this?” or “I can’t take that much time off work” on the cab ride home. Jane moved into their room to change, followed by Henry who slipped off his blazer and threw it over the back of her vanity chair. She pulled off her shirt, searching for another in the boxes of unpacked clothes.

“How long has it been?” He asked, leaning forward onto his hands. “It’s March. So almost eight months?”

“Jeez. I hadn’t realized it been so long.” Yes, her life had changed drastically, but Austenland still felt like yesterday. “I mean, I wouldn’t mind going back… to support her. Who knows what she had done to the place.”

Guiltily, old Jane was coming out and she could feel her old desperation for the regency era. Another moment of silence passed between them again. And Jane’s hand found the bonnet Molly made for her. She slipped it on her head and looked over at Henry, her eyes giving away her desire.. 

“Jane…” Henry just laughed at her, in only a bra and a bonnet, “you know, that looks actually quite sexy.”

“Just think. We can visit your parents while we are there. I still haven’t met them in real life” They had talked about going back to England to meet his parents and she’d only ever spoken to them through video chat. “I mean… it might be fun.”

Another beat passed. 

“As long as I don’t have to wear the clothes…. I think we should go,” Henry stood and moved towards her, cupping her face, “after all it’s where we met.”

He moved his face close so he was only a breath away. “Maybe do something naughty.. take you in the servants wing like I wanted to the first time after the theatrical.”

Excitement grew in Jane’s stomach. A week from today and they would be back in the world of Jane Austen. 

“Tally ho!” Jane kissed him and he chuckled as he crushed her body against his.


End file.
